


Flamma Stellarum (The Fire of Stars)

by SemperAeternumQue



Series: Finding Your Place: A Silmarillion Modern AU [5]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: AU, Adoption, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate universe of my alternate universe, Child Abandonment, Families of Choice, Gen, I Hope This Is Okay, M/M, Poor Elrond, Present Tense, Tumblr Prompt, i'll explain in the notes, it doesn't feel right, no beta we die like women, so i probably messed up, temporarily
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-02
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2020-07-29 05:54:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20077237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SemperAeternumQue/pseuds/SemperAeternumQue
Summary: It is not too long after Maedhros, Maglor, and Fingon have collectively decided to take in Elrond and Elros, and they are struggling to keep their heads above water financially. Maedhros has take extreme measures to keep them stable. Those extreme measures may or may not involve calling his father.





	Flamma Stellarum (The Fire of Stars)

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome back to my modern AU! This is actually an AU of my AU, where instead of moving west when they begin to struggle financially in New York, Maedhros, Maglor and Fingon turn to Feanor for help. It was based off this request on my Tumblr blog (check it out, it's semperaeternumque!): "Hi! May you please write a fic of Elrond and Elros being left with Feanor? Maybe in a Modern AU? I truly love your fics especially your A Case Won. :) Thank you!"  
The title is Latin for 'The Fire of Stars', which was meant to represent Feanor's name 'Spirit of Fire' and Elrond and Elros' names, 'Star dome' and 'star foam'. (I think that's it.)
> 
> Anyways, have this ball of fluff and angst that somehow grew a plot! As usual, I love comments and kudos, but don't feel obligated to comment. I know how it can be!
> 
> Oh and warnings: Not much, but some mild angst and some (temporary) child abandonment.

Maedhros paces through the living room of their tiny apartment, summoning his courage. 

Usually, he is not one to worry over small things. Fingon is the one who dithers over the details, Maglor the one who inflates them with his dramatics. Yet it is no little thing that makes Maedhros pace. 

The truth is, they are broke. Maedhros makes decent money as a clerk, but every cent of his earnings goes to paying for law school. Fingon is unemployed and Maglor is making minimum wage singing at a local café.

Recently, he has taken to busking in order to earn more. They are a single missed paycheck or medical emergency from being out on the street. They _were_ a single missed paycheck or medical emergency from being out on the street. 

Now that they have to take care of Elrond and Elros, it has become a choice between paying rent and being able to afford school for the boys. Maedhros has examined every financial aid option possible. Either they are ineligible or it’s not enough, leaving them with only one option. 

He has discussed it with Maglor and Fingon, although that does not make this any easier to do.

Maedhros picks up the phone and dials a number he has called not often enough recently. After a few rings, the phone is picked up and Maedhros hears a familiar voice from the other end. “Hello? This is Feanor Finwean, can I help you?”

“Hello dad, it’s me,” He says. Feanor sounds delighted as he replies “Nelyafinwe! It’s so good to talk to you, you never call your poor father often enough!” He is right. Maedhros has not talked to Feanor enough since they made it to the United States. He really should fix that. But he does not have the time to do so today since he is calling about an important matter. “Father, I have something of vital importance to tell you.” 

Silence falls. “And?” Feanor asks. “What is it, my son?” Maedhros tries to swallow down his nerves. “It’s better done in person.” He hears another, slightly disapproving silence from the other end. “Alright,” Feanor says eventually. “I will be at your apartment tomorrow morning.” 

Maedhros gently sets the phone back down on the cradle before collapsing onto their crappy sofa. It’s not that he thinks his father will react poorly to the news that he and Maglor and Fingon have adopted Elrond and Elros, but at the same time it’s exactly that. Feanor, while always spontaneous, was never one for accidental child acquisition.

The next morning, as promised, Feanor arrives at the apartment. Maedhros is tired from all the late-night studying that he did the previous night, but he attempts to greet his father cheerily. “Good morning, father!”

“Good morning, Nelyafinwe,” Feanor says, eyeing the small apartment and battered furniture with distaste. “What is this matter that is better spoken of in-“ Elrond comes running into the room at a speed only an especially determined 5-year-old can manage and plows head-on into Maedhros. “Elrond!” Maedhros scolds. “What have I said about running inside?” Elrond looks at him with somber eyes. “Elros got stuck behind the bed.” 

Maedhros does not even have to look at Feanor’s face to see the realization and disappointment he knows are present. “Elrond, I’m talking to my father right now. Have you asked Kano to help?”

“No.”

“Okay, why don’t you go ask him?” Elrond tilts his head at Feanor curiously before running back out of the room to find Maglor.

The ensuing silence is broken by Feanor saying, “Am I to assume that this is the matter best discussed in person?”

Maedhros winces. “Yes. Kano…found them on the street. We both agreed that we couldn’t just leave them there, but we are increasingly realizing that we don’t have the resources to care for them properly.” He looks up to meet Feanor’s eyes. “Father, we can’t even send them to a proper school. We can hardly feed all of us and afford rent on the apartment.”

“You want me to take the boys.” It is not a question, but Maedhros nods anyways, and Feanor sighs. Maedhros sighs in response. “You’ve already raised seven children, surely you can take two more?” 

They are speaking quietly as so not to alert the children in the next room. Although Elrond is likely occupied trying to get Elros unstuck, Maedhros has learned never to underestimate how keen his hearing is and how intelligent the boy is.

“I will take them,” Feanor says eventually. “They will have a home with me.”

Maedhros calls the boys in to explain that they will be living with Feanor now, and hardly a few days later, Feanor is driving Fingon, Maedhros, Maglor, Elrond and Elros over to Feanor’s house. It’s likely unsafe to have all six of them crammed into the one car, but since they do only own one car, it will have to do. Elrond and Elros have scant possessions still, but the ones they do have are loaded into the trunk, ready to go.

After perhaps an hour or so of driving, they are arriving at Feanor’s house in upstate New York. “Alright, everyone out,” Feanor calls, just as he used to when Maedhros and Maglor were young and the brothers were riding in the minivan used to transport all seven of them. Elrond and Elros clamber out of the backseat with Maedhros’ help, and Maglor and Fingon fetch their stuff from the trunk. 

It does not take long before they are unpacked, and Maedhros, Maglor, and Fingon have to leave. 

* * *

“NOOOO!” Elros wails. He is clinging to Maglor’s leg, screaming bloody murder. He has been for the past hour. Elrond is completely silent, and Maedhros is not sure if he doesn’t understand what is happening or if he is simply resigned to it. Despite having only known Elrond for a few months, Maedhros knows that it’s likely the second. Elrond is wiser than most his age. It’s not that Elros lacks that wisdom, although he certainly has less of an innate understanding, more that he is less resigned to the way he understands things to be. Both Elrond and Elros can tell that Maedhros, Maglor, and Fingon will leave, but Elrond is resigned to it where Elros is not. Maedhros doesn’t want to know what kind of things a five-year-old has to go through to be that resigned. 

Sighing, he turns his attention back to removing Elros from Maglor’s leg. “It’s okay. We’ll visit.” He promises. The sorrow in Elrond’s face tears at his heart, but the trio drive away, back to New York City and Maedhros’ job, Fingon’s books and Maglor’s career as a musician, back to an apartment that suddenly feels large and empty, despite being a tiny two-bedroom. (The second bedroom, in fact, somewhat resembling a renovated closet.)

* * *

They last a little over a week before Fingon, sweet, kind Fingon, slams his plate down on the table. It doesn’t make quite the sound he was going for, being a cheap plastic plate, but it gets Maglor and Maedhros to glance over at him. “What _is_ it, Finno?” Maedhros asks. All three have been on edge for days, ever since the absence of Elrond and Elros began to become unbearable. 

“This is bullshit,” Fingon says. “We’re staying away from our _children_.” Neither Maedhros nor Maglor dares contradict him. Elrond and Elros might not have been theirs to begin with, but at some point, they stopped being ‘those children from the streets’, transitioned through ‘Elrond and Elros’, and ended up as ‘our children’. 

Maedhros looks between the other two. All three of them want to raise Elrond and Elros, but they simply can’t bring the children back into this tiny apartment. “We can’t pay the bills with them,” Maedhros says. Everyone in the cramped room knows he speaks the truth.

Maglor sighs dramatically and flops over his chair. “What are we supposed to do, Nelyo?” Maedhros glances at Fingon, his sweet, impulsive cousin, and does something rather impulsive himself. “If they can’t stay with us, we go to them.”

The other two look at each other. “Yes,” Fingon says. 

“Hardly could I call myself a father if I was to forsake the twins now!” Maglor cries, and that is that.

* * *

Elros glares at them when they first enter the house, Feanor letting them in. 

“You left us.” 

“I know,” Maedhros says. He knows it will take a while to win back their trust, but he is willing to wait. “We are here now, and we are here to stay. We will not leave you.” Elros continues to glare, but Elrond slowly walks up and hugs Maedhros’ legs. “I believe him.” 

It isn’t easy at first. Trust broken is not easily regained, but soon enough Elros is back to his usual happy self, chattering about all he and Elrond did that day. “Oh and today, Murphy fell down and hurt himself. Elrond bandaged his arm, and I told him he was doing it wrong and he got mad, but Murphy is okay.” Murphy is the stuffed bear both of them love so much. Maedhros chuckles at their antics.

Elrond quietly clings to them as if he is afraid they will be taken away at any moment, but he slowly lets go and spends more time with his brother. Maglor, Maedhros, and Fingon continue to live with Feanor. Elrond and Elros start attending the local school. 

It’s not perfect, but they keep going. After all, that’s what Finweans do.


End file.
